Are there any former fellow Television Without Pity readers here? That's what really got me reading recaps, blogs, forums, etc. So thanks for introducing a giant time suck into my life, Sars and Tara! And since I love to while away my chores listening to a good book or podcast, at least I'm being productive while enjoying this new obsession. Sars and Tara basically recap/snark on each classic Bev Hills episode- chugging through the first season right now. It's so good. And so addictive.

2. Also addictive?

These damn Barkthins. A gigantic bag from Costco, hidden in my freezer is slowly disappearing as I listen to the podcast and paint the never-ending project of my duck-egg blue chairs. Not so hot for my waistline. . .

3. Bamboo Chandelier
Replacing my dining room chandelier is on the very bottom of my home improvement/decorating list. Then I spy this bamboo chandelier from Shades of Light, and replacing that old chandelier is all I can think about. . . at least for five to seven minutes before I move on to my next task.

4. Also thinking about this t-shirt dress from Old Navy. I have the black, and am ordering the other colors. For about $27? It's a no brainer! Note- it's a little more a-line than the picture, which I like.

It's really soft, you can dress it up or down. It's flattering, yet barely touches your body. I like that aspect of clothing. Especially in the summer. I would live in a tent dress at all times if possible.

5. A Romper(?)
I have never owned a romper. I'm short, and most of the ones I try on look like Bermuda shorts on me. Last weekend I ventured out of my comfort zone with this Lily Pulitzer number.

I felt a bit like a preschooler (likely since DH has a similar one- see below), but a cute preschooler! The shorts section was definitely short. I don't see how a normal to tall person could wear this while remaining decent.

Jul 17, 2015

My beauty regime is quick and cheap at best, and downright apathetic at worst. Odd, as I do wear a faceful of makeup everyday. However, in the summer my drive to fix myself up ebbs even lower.

Enter some fun finds which are easing my routine this summer- all can be found at Target, Walgreens, CVS, etc. If you want to get fancy, ULTA has them all, as well.

1. My dream product has arrived!

I hate getting out of the shower, drying off, then getting all damp again putting on lotion. Just annoying. I was thrilled to stumble upon this new Jergens wet skin moisturizer- you put it on while you are still sopping wet in the shower, then dry off! Miraculous!

2. I've been longing to try some of those powder face sunscreens, since sunscreen makes me break out, no matter what claims are touted on the bottle. However, my dermatologist visit is long overdue, and with my propensity for losing that kind of stuff in the depths of my pool bag, I have very little inclination to spend $50 on sunscreen. Enter good old Physicians Formula.

Since using this CC Powder I have neither broken out, nor gotten too much sun on my face, and it doubles as my face makeup. And it's under $15! Winner!

3. Rimmel Provocalips-

This lip color is really fitting into my lackadaisical approach to beauty this summer as well. It does not come off. With sunglasses on to disguise my lack of eye makeup, this lip duo makes me look like I spent all morning getting ready. And it seriously lasts all day long. I wore it in bright red (Kiss Me You Fool) to a fourth of July carnival, and got so many compliments on my general appearance. All thanks to the magic lipstick. I also have a bright pink (I'll Call You) which is terrific and super flattering. Here is an excellent and thorough blog post giving a rundown on all the colors.

4. Self Tanner
One of the reasons I quit spray tanning (besides lack of time or motivation), is Morgan's complaints about the smell. The whole thing just bugged him to no end. That being said, like most people, I look better with some color. This is a quandary since my natural color is clear. I'm so pale I am so see-through. Anyway, this self tanner is awesome. It's a super fine mist, with a light touch on the color, so it's pretty difficult to mess up. Morgan has complimented my tan several times. Since he's been married to me for 6 years, he knows it's not natural- he states that this is the best fake tan he has ever seen on me.

Putting this on a couple days a week is far preferable than the tanning bed spray tans. Get it here for buy one get one half off!

5. Finally, the last thing I want to do right now is stand under a blowdryer. It's hot outside, I don't want to make myself all sweaty inside as well. So after reading about it a few times, I tracked down a bottle of John Freida Dream Waves, which allegedly is awesome for air dying curls and waves.

I've now been blow dryer and frizz free for a week. It feels pretty good, I must say!

Thanks to the Five on Friday ladies as always! I'm happy to be back in the blogging swing of things- especially now that I have freed up some time with my beauty routine, ha!

Jul 16, 2015

And work on some new paintings like these enormous ones I did for the beach house.

Instead, I am working and dealing with these crazy ones-

Big girl bike!

BUBBLES!!

Sprinkler and sipping on my sparkling waters.

Playing with mud in the backyard. Otherwise known as when mama gives up after a couple weeks of rain.

Mom gives up even further- mall walking and riding the ($!*!!$$) train at the mall. I broke the seal after convincing DH for the past 3.5 years that it was just for decoration. Desperate times.

We also hit up MUSE- the kids discovery center which was far more cost effective and super fun.

My munchkins have been in camp (whoohooo!!) this week and the previous. I think they are thrilled to be among their peers once again- I'm a little nervous about having to explain why camp is over 80,000 times next week. It's at the same church as Deeds' school. He RAN up the steps the first day. I must be getting pretty boring.

Too bad my two weeks of freedom has been filled with errands and work. I am really craving some nice blue chairs in my kitchen. I'm sure they will be completed by 2016. . .

Jul 14, 2015

It's been ages since I posted, and I have no excuses. Not pregnant, not moving, no new job. Just an extreme aversion to sitting down in front of the computer. I've just been feeling downright allergic to it.

I have been reading, however. Let's reenter blogging with some reviews of a lot of light reading.

"With an uncanny eye for the raw edges of what it means to be a girl and a heartfelt sense of the intensity of early friendship, Local Girls is a look at both the profound role celebrity plays in our culture, and how the people we know as girls end up changing the course of our lives."

Eh. I couldn't get into it. A little too angsty to be fun, but not serious enough to justify the angst.

On the other hand, I adored "I Take You" by Eliza Kennedy. Brace yourself for a lot of sex and profanity, but it was witty, sharp and involved some legal drama. A perfect fast, fun and surprising read.

"Lily’s fiancé Will is a brilliant, handsome archaeologist. Lily is sassy, impulsive, fond of a good drink (or five) and has no business getting married. Lily likes Will, but does she love him? Will loves Lily, but does he know her? As the wedding approaches, Lily’s nights—and mornings, and afternoons—of booze, laughter and questionable decisions become a growing reminder that the happiest day of her life might turn out to be her worst mistake yet."

There was also a lot of random S-E-X in "The One that Got Away" which was a bit unnecessary, but didn't stop me from liking the book.

"Sarina Mahler thinks she has her life all nailed down: a growing architecture practice in Austin, Texas, and an any-day-now proposal from her loving boyfriend, Noah. She’s well on her way to having the family she’s hoped for since her mother’s death ten years ago. But with Noah on a temporary assignment abroad and retired Olympic swimmer—and former flame—Eamon Roy back in town asking her to renovate his new fixer-upper, Sarina’s life takes an unexpected turn. Eamon proves to be Sarina’s dream client, someone who instinctively trusts every one of her choices—and Sarina is reminded of all the reasons she was first drawn to him back in the day. Suddenly her carefully planned future with Noah seems a little less than perfect. And when tragedy strikes, Sarina is left reeling. With her world completely upended, she is forced to question what she truly wants in life—and in love."

A new entry into the rich mother genre is "The Mothers of Country Day", which was a little ridiculous at times, but enjoyable.

"When Josie Messina's wunderkind 12-year-old son earns a full scholarship to one of New Jersey's toniest private schools, this hardworking, cash-strapped single mom is intimidated. Will she ever fit in with the wealthy and fashionable mothers of Little Fawn Country Day? But when Josie runs into Country Day's most famous parent, rock legend Billy Stand - known to her as the boy she used to babysit - their embrace in the school parking lot, viewed by three of the school's most influential social butterflies, rockets her to "A list" status. What happens next will bring truth to the warning, "Be careful what you wish for."

This timely, irreverent send-up of contemporary academia -- and the wicked ways of the one percent -- will delight any parent who has ever been dragged to a PTA fundraiser, has sweated out their children's grades and college prospects, or who has wondered what, exactly, their kids are learning at school all day."

Also completely ridiculous, but in the best intentionally over the top way? "China Rich Girlfriend", Kevin Kwan's follow up to "Crazy Rich Asians". It's awesome. Warning- be prepared to order Asian food for dinner the night you start this. The food descriptions had me drooling.

Although predictable, I liked "The Status of All Things". The protagonist ends up with the power to change her past via Facebook statuses, which sounds more hokey than it actually is in the book. The main character is fairly complex. You know where the book is going to end up, but it keeps you flipping pages to find out how it's going to happen.

Also predictable? "Beach Town" by Mary Kay Andrews. Predictable, and a bit of a snoozefest. I feel like her earlier books were so engaging because they really made the setting a character in the book. This one is all about the setting, yet it's utterly unmemorable.

"Oh! You Pretty Things" is about an assistant in LA. Here's the link to the New York Times review- it does a much better job than I describing the novel. Much like "Local Girls", it was a touch too cynical for my beach reading taste, but not serious enough to move into my Capital-L-Literature category.

Most definitely in my beach read category is Nancy Thayer. I had grouped her in with that group of Elin Hilderbrand, Kristin Hannah, Mary Alice Monroe, Karen White, et. al, which I can never get through the first few pages without tossing the book aside. Anyway, unlike her peers, I like Nancy Thayer's books. I just finished these two- not a dash of cynicism, but well-drawn characters, and a beautiful setting, which make for easy, restful books that aren't too mind-numbingly dumb (ahem, Nicholas Sparks).

I thought this Jane Green book was going to be much the same, then it got all spicy/thriller/drama-rama on me, which I loved! Do I sense a theme? Apparently, I adore books about rich people behaving badly. Escapism at its best, ladies.

After all that fluff, I am finally reading something of substance. Probably wise to do so before my mind turns to cotton candy. Erik Larson's history of the American ambassador to Berlin beginning in 1933 is absolutely fascinating so far. It feels good to be reading a book that takes longer than a couple of hours to read. . .

Speaking of cotton candy brain, editing this ramble of a post is not going to happen. Please excuse my typos! I'm off to weed my front beds- a Sisyphean task that I can't put off another minute.